


Sanctuary

by Rattlesnake



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Kissing, M/M, Post-Terminus, Rickyl, Season 5 Interlude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 16:50:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2475419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rattlesnake/pseuds/Rattlesnake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the grueling escape from Terminus and the emotional reunion with Carol and Judith, Rick and Daryl find a moment of peace with each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sanctuary

Daryl wished he had a cigarette. It had been a while since he’d wanted to smoke but tonight he felt like he deserved it. It was strange to be this content, happy even. It had been a long time since he’d felt calm inside. He was sitting on the steps that led to the house they’d taken shelter in tonight and he still couldn’t believe that Carol was asleep inside. And Judith. That they’d all made it out of Terminus alive. It still felt like a strange dream. He was breathing in the cold night air, listening for any kind of disturbance from the near-by wood. There was no way he would let anything evil get close to this place tonight. His bow that Carol had saved for him was resting on his knees.

They’d been hiking the whole day without rest, because Rick wanted to get them as far away from Terminus as possible. But this place had seemed safe enough to take shelter for the night. The large group allowed them to take turns sleeping. Maggie and Glenn were keeping watch on the other side of the building.

Daryl looked up when he heard the door behind him open. Rick stepped out and quietly closed the door behind him. He took a look around and sat down next to Daryl, offering him a bottle of Whiskey. “Found it in the house.”

Daryl shook his head. He couldn’t drink. He needed to be alert.

Rick smiled. “Come on. Just one sip. To celebrate. You deserve this.”

Daryl relented and took the bottle from Rick. The sharp warm taste of the liquid on his tongue reminded him of the evening he spent with Beth in the distillery. But the memory wasn’t so painful right now. After the miracles that had happened today it was easier to believe that Beth was still alive. Safe somewhere. He took another small swig and handed the bottle back to Rick. “The others sleeping?”

Rick nodded. “Judith fell asleep on Carl.” He smiled. “He’s such a proud big brother right now.”

“He has all right to be.” Daryl watched Rick closely while he took a sip from the bottle. Something had changed. He could still see the lines of worry on Rick’s face, could still see the determination in his eyes, but the cold shining was gone and his jaw wasn’t set as it had been during all of their stay in Terminus. The hatred had died down for now and the beast was tamed once again. He put one hand on Rick’s arm and felt Rick relax a little more under his touch. It was still astonishing for him that his touch was able to do this for Rick but he couldn’t deny it any longer. Rick welcomed his touch like an Alpha wolf who felt reassured by the gentle nudges of his Beta. This had become part of their relationship somehow and Daryl didn’t want to miss out on it anymore. “You really okay with not goin’ back to Terminus?”

Daryl could see wrath light up in Rick’s eyes for a second, could feel his muscles tense but then he moved closer to Daryl almost imperceptibly and relaxed again. “Yes. Maggie was right. They’re done for. I would have liked to take revenge though. For what they did to us. To those before us” His fists clenched. “They deserved to die.”  
Daryl nodded. “Agreed. Turnin’ on their own. Eatin’ the flesh of humans. There’s no excuse fer that. Worse than walkers. But we killed many of’em.”

 

Rick looked at Daryl and took in his tired features, his eye that was still swollen and black, the cut over his eyebrow. Under all these bruises he saw the man who’d had his back once again in Terminus, who hadn’t moved from his side, who’d looked out for him and this group even before they’d become friends. The man who felt closer to him than a brother now.

He asked himself if he should tell Daryl about the exact moment in Terminus he had cracked, when he’d known that he would kill Gareth and his followers, whatever it may take. It hadn’t been when he’d seen the bloody corpses of men, prepared for being grilled and eaten. It wasn’t when he saw them slice the throats of living people to bleed them. 

But the moment he had turned his head and saw Daryl next to him, gagged and bound, had made the fury inside of him explode. No one was allowed to do this to Daryl after all he’d been through, even before the Apocalypse. He had hated the people of Terminus with all the bitterness of his heart at that moment for putting fear and desperation in Daryl’s eyes. And he knew that he couldn’t watch him die. He could not. 

And he would be thankful to Carol for the rest of his life for making it possible for them to escape.

He took another drink from the bottle and put it down next to himself on the steps. “Thank you for looking out for me in Terminus”, he said. 

Daryl looked up at him. “Don’t need to thank me fer that. You’n Carol got us out.” 

“And I’ll never forget what she did.” He turned to face Daryl, eyes serious. “She made it possible for us to be here tonight.”

Daryl was surprised at the sudden intensity of Rick’s gaze. He had never looked at him like that before and it made him feel insecure, open somehow. He swallowed hard. Being this close to Rick had always done something to him. He hadn’t ever felt like this around another human being before and it frightened him sometimes but it also made him seek Rick’s proximity. Right now he felt awkward however, because he couldn’t read Rick’s face and he didn’t know how to react. He was too close somehow. “Yes”, he whispered.

And then there was the shine in Rick’s eyes again, but this time it wasn’t cold. His hand came up and the next moment Daryl felt his gentle touch on his cheek. He flinched but Rick softly stroked his chin with his thumb and Daryl closed his eyes. Gentle touches were still something he wasn’t used to, but he could take it from Rick right now. 

“I’m sorry you got hurt”, Rick said and his voice was very low and rough. “I’m sorry you were tied up and tortured. I wish I could have prevented all of it.” His hand wandered to Daryl’s neck and he pulled him closer so that their foreheads came together.

“S’alright”, Daryl whispered. “I know what you do. And I’ll always have yer back.”

“Yes. I know that. I’ve become stronger Daryl. I’ll be able to protect you better. No one’s going to tie you up again.”

 

He leaned closer and before Daryl really knew what was happening, their lips came together. He felt a shiver run down his spine and he very nearly pulled back because there was no way in the world Rick really wanted to kiss him. This had to be some kind of accident. But Rick’s hand on his neck was firm and his lips were soft and pleading and he heard a small moan that told him that Rick really wanted this very much. His hands came up and he pulled Rick closer a little awkwardly. He could taste the whiskey on Rick’s lips and it tasted amazing. Rick’s tongue gently pushed his lips apart, asking entrance and Daryl felt light-headed. Intimacy wasn’t something he usually felt comfortable with but right now he didn’t even have time to freak out, because there was this strange warm feeling inside of him and he heard himself moan into the kiss.

It didn’t last long, because Rick pulled back after giving Daryl another small peck on the lips. He looked a little flushed in the moonlight and his lips were very red. Daryl felt utterly confused. 

“I’m sorry”, Rick whispered. “I shouldn’t have done that.” His eyes sought Daryl’s. “But I really wanted to.”  
“S’okay”, Daryl breathed, looking down. “D’you think I could have another swig from that bottle?”

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank the Rickyl fandom for worshipping every Rickyl moment in the new episode and for being awesome. I thought the episode needed something like this to make it perfect. ;)


End file.
